[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 37 (Wednesday, March 7, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S1434]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               GAS PRICES

  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, last week I came to the Senate floor 
to speak out on an issue that is on the minds of a lot of Americans 
these days: the rising cost of gas at the pump and how the 
administration's policies are actually making matters worse.
  The President may try to take credit for production gains that are 
entirely the work of others, but more to the point is the fact that 
production is up on private lands and down on Federal lands. The 
property the President and the Interior Secretary actually manage is 
the property upon which production is down.
  In fact, when it comes to the rising cost of gas at the pump, it is 
my view that the administration's policies are actually designed to a 
purpose: to bring about higher gas prices. That is a view which should 
not be the least bit controversial given the fact that the President's 
own Energy Secretary has suggested on a couple of occasions now that 
his goal certainly is not to drive gas prices down.
  For the President's part, he often says that Americans should judge 
him not only by his words but on his deeds. So when it comes to gas 
prices, I have pointed out that the President continues to limit 
offshore areas to energy production and is granting fewer leases on 
public land for oil drilling, has encouraged countries such as Brazil 
to move forward with their own offshore drilling projects, continues to 
impose burdensome regulations on the domestic energy sector that will 
further drive up the cost of gasoline for the consumer, has repeatedly 
proposed raising taxes on the energy sector, which we all know would 
only drive gas prices even higher, and, finally, has flatly rejected 
the Keystone XL Pipeline.
  All of these help drive up the cost of gas and increase our 
dependence on foreign oil. So the President simply cannot claim to have 
a comprehensive approach to energy because he doesn't--he simply 
doesn't--and anytime he says he does, the American people should 
remember one word: Keystone. Keystone.
  Another thing they might want to do is play a clip of the press 
conference the President held just yesterday. Asked about whether he 
actually wants gas prices to go up, the President's facetious attempt 
to deflect the question only served to confirm the premise. But it was 
the President's admission that rising gas prices hurt the economy that 
really betrayed the administration's attempt to have it both ways on 
this issue, because if higher gas prices hurt the economy, then why in 
the world is the administration calling for higher taxes on energy 
manufacturers? We know these taxes would drive up the price at the pump 
and send jobs overseas. The Congressional Research Service said that. 
If the President wants to drive prices down, he should stop calling for 
these increases in taxes.
  Look, if the President wants Americans to think he is serious about 
lower gas prices, he has to do more than simply say--and this is what 
he said yesterday--``No President would want higher gas prices in an 
election year.'' ``No President would want higher gas prices in an 
election year.'' What about other years? Would they want them in other 
years? It is only in election years that it is a problem? He has to get 
serious about changing his policies, and he might want to consider an 
Energy Secretary who is more committed to helping the American people 
than in helping the administration's buddies in the solar panel 
business--and that brings me to a larger point.
  The President likes to talk a lot about fairness. We have heard a lot 
about fairness, but when it comes to rising gas prices, the American 
people don't think it is particularly fair that at a time when they are 
struggling to fill the tank, their own tax dollars are being used to 
subsidize failing solar companies of the President's choosing, not to 
mention the bonuses executives at these companies keep getting. I think 
most Americans are tired of reading about all the goodies this 
administration's allies are getting on their dime even as the President 
goes around lecturing everybody about fairness.
  I will tell you what is not fair. What is not fair is that it costs 
about $40 more to fill a 20-gallon tank with gasoline than it did when 
this President took office. That is not fair. Yet this administration 
continues to pursue policies that would make it even worse.
  Earlier this year the White House launched a campaign in support of 
the payroll tax holiday, asking Americans what $40 a month would mean 
to them. Yet, now, when it comes to gas prices, they are doubling down 
on policies that are taking away that $40 a month given by the payroll 
tax holiday to fill the gas tank. Once again, they are trying to have 
it both ways, and, frankly, the American people have had it.

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